September 21, 2012

Rabid Reads: "Seven Stories" by Brian James Freeman

Seven
Stories is a collection of just
that: seven stories. All previously published, Brian James Freeman
and Cemetery Dance offer up this relatively modest collection, and
given how much I enjoyed his novella, The Painted Darkness,
I didn't hesitate adding this to my Kindle.

While a couple of the stories are truly
horrific on a visceral level, the majority of this collection follows
a quieter path in scaring the reader. "Walking with the Ghosts
of Pier 13" is a strong example of the latter, as a man wanders
a boardwalk amusement park in the wake of terrorist attacks across
the country that have devastated the nation's psyche and targeted
amusement parks specifically. It's more of a look at the aftermath
than the act itself, but all the more disturbing because of it.

Stories like "Running Rain" and
"The Punishment Room" offer some unsettling twists on
familiar ideas, serial killers with the former and torture and
justice with the latter. Both were two stand-outs among seven very
strong offerings. If there's a runt in the litter, it might be "What
They Left Behind," which I thought had a great creature feature
vibe as a couple office workers explore the dessicated warehouse of
where they work. Good, but forgettable compared to my favorite of the
bunch, "Where Sunlight Sleeps." That story, which tugs the
ol' heartstrings with a tale of a father taking his son on their
weekly tour of his dead wife's mundane travels, at the behest of a
grief counselor to help the son cope with her death. Really touching
and really disquieting as it goes along.

This collection is relatively small
compared to the more conventional books you see on shelves, but as an
e-book it's a very convenient size for curious readers that would
like to take Freeman's writing for a test drive. If Freeman has more
stories waiting in the wings, I eagerly await the chance to read
them.